BERRIES WITH SPICY WHITE CHOCOLATE SAUCE

SERVES 4-6

Sauce:

1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped out 3 cardamom pods, lightly crushed

1 small red chilli, seeded and sliced, optional 250ml (1 cup) fresh cream

170g white chocolate, broken into pieces 500g mixed frozen berries, lightly defrosted (this dish works nicely if the berries are slightly frozen as the heat of the sauce softens the berries)

Combine vanilla seeds, cardamom, red chilli, cream and white chocolate in a pan over low heat and stir until chocolate has melted. Remove from heat and set aside for flavours to mingle for 30 minutes. Strain if desired.

Divide the lightly defrosted berries in the bowls. Reheat the chocolate sauce till piping hot but not boiling — easily done in the microwave for 2 minutes on high — and pour over the berries. Serve immediately.